


It's okay to say you have a weak spot

by Donteatthefootcream



Series: Pride Month 2020 [27]
Category: Re-Animator (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Developing Relationship, Enemies to Friends, Fluff, Getting Together, Herbert is in love with Rufus lol, Herbert is whipped, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Rufus lives AU, dead cat details later, in relation to Herbert and Rufus, sorry you guys, they also don't go to Peru, well more like successfully reanimated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24852346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donteatthefootcream/pseuds/Donteatthefootcream
Summary: When Herbert moves in with Daniel Cain he isn't expecting to fall in love with Dan. Neither is he expecting to befriend an undead cat.
Relationships: Daniel Cain/Herbert West, Daniel Cain/Megan Halsey (Mentioned), Herbert West & Rufus the Cat
Series: Pride Month 2020 [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768411
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





	It's okay to say you have a weak spot

When Herbert finds the cat with its head stuck in a jar he merely finds it tragically amusing. The cat didn’t like him, ran away when he came into the room or hissed at him. Yet, having the cat dead wouldn’t be that good for Daniel Cain. He does have a typical attachment to his domesticated animal. So, he keeps the dead cat in his fridge and prepares some sort of speech to a distraught Dan. Everything was going fine until the bitch Meg went prying. 

Dan comes downstairs when he hears the crash of something from the basement. What he doesn’t expect to find is Herbert getting off the floor, a look of pure shock and excitement on his face, as he stares at a cat on the metal table. There’s clearly something wrong with it, its eyes far too manic for anyone’s taste, but other than that it’s laying down calmly. 

“Is that-” Dan says, pointing at the cat. 

Herbert scrambles to his feet. “Rufus? Yes!” He gestures to the cat who has surprisingly not hissed at him. “Look at him! He seems fine, doesn’t he? Not as if he was dead!”

Dan drops the bat, walking over to Herbert’s side to stare at… his cat. “Are you saying that you revived him?”

Herbert smiles at him, a crazy sort of smile. “ _That_ is exactly what I’m saying.”

Dan sits down, leaning in his hand out of shock. “Huh.” He stares at the cat and then back up at Herbert. “I’m sure you’d love to explain.”

Herbert climbs back into his chair, stretching out a tentative hand to pet the cat. To his own surprise, the cat doesn’t make any attempts on his life. He doesn’t think he’d felt happiness like this in so long. This is an advancement in his discoveries. Herbert scratches behind the cat’s ears, beginning to hear a low rumble. It isn’t exactly a normal sort of purr sound, a little bit unsettling. It doesn’t faze Herbert though, he’s seen much more unsettling things than this. 

Continuing his scratching, Herbert faces Dan. His smile never leaves and neither does Dan’s shock. Herbert can deal with that, it means he’ll have Dan’s undivided attention. Herbert starts to explain. He certainly didn’t expect Dan to become his partner in crime, or the first person Herbert goes soft for. 

  
  


After the massacre, Herbert doesn’t consider it a massacre since they were already pretty much dead, and signing disclosure agreements, Dan and Herbert move to a house in the cemetery. It’s a perfect spot. And, no one will come over and bother them. They took Rufus with them. Herbert’s become fond of the animal as well. Enjoys the cat’s company in the lab or when he sleeps with him. He wants to feel bad for stealing Dan’s cat, yet it only makes him feel smug. 

“We’ve already been through this, Dan. He doesn’t want regular cat food anymore!” Herbert tells Dan for the millionth time since Rufus’ revival. “He needs to be an outdoor cat. Have blood on his hands.”

They both look down at the manic cat. It wasn’t the same cat Dan adopted that’s for sure, but he hasn’t stopped being annoying or clingy. Dan eventually came to accept it along with this life he has with the one Herbert West. 

Dan crosses his arms, sighing. “You made my cat into a murderer!”

“A murderer? Really? It’s rats and birds.”

Rufus only eats that canned food when push comes to shove. Dan supposes it would be healthier for Rufus, actually eating food. And, it would save money not having to buy cat food anymore. Dan finally throws his hands up in defeat, cursing Herbert’s existence, and then walks out of the kitchen. 

“He’s rather dramatic isn’t he?” Herbert speaks to the cat, smiling fondly at Dan’s retreating form. 

Rufus rubs on Herbert’s leg, his low and rumbling purr quietly filling the room. Herbert leads him to the back door, Rufus running out immediately once the door is open. He smiles proudly upon the cat, his first successful creation. He’s grown quite enraptured with the “zombie” cat. At the thought of enrapturement, Herbert shuts the door and goes to find Dan. 

  
  


Dan doesn’t join Herbert all the time in the basement. According to Dan, he has “normal” things to do like cleaning and shopping. But Herbert knows better, hearing the TV every so often. Yet, he doesn’t go up there and make a fuss. Dan might be completely and utterly annoying at times, but Herbert doesn’t like fighting with him. He doesn’t like upsetting the taller man. He wants Dan to stay with him. _Forever._

Herbert finds himself thinking about Dan frequently in the silence of the lab. Most definitely when Herbert knows he has… female company upstairs. Rufus has to spend time with Herbert in the lab on these occasions. Something along the lines of not wanting to freak out the guests. Herbert believes that if Dan’s female friends can’t handle the damn cat, there should be no more of them. They’re a waste of space and a potential threat to Dan’s involvement with the reagent. 

In short, the women are a threat to Dan staying with Herbert forever. 

The women will steal Dan away from him. He’ll then take Rufus with him, and Herbert will be left with no one. _Again._

Younger Herbert would’ve scoffed at this revelation. He never enjoyed human company. They never met his expectations. He didn’t have the patience to befriend anyone. But then Dan became his friend. Now, Herbert can’t cope with the thought of Dan leaving one of these days. 

Herbert sighs, shaking his head in an attempt for his angsting thoughts to shut up. He reaches over to the radio, keeping the volume on low and playing the classical station. Classical music helps the mind. Rufus jumps onto the table, something he knows he isn’t allowed to do, and rubs on Herbert’s shoulder. On instinct, Herbert begins to pet him. 

He starts to clean up the lab, changing white sheets and scrubbing dried blood off of surfaces. Rufus keeps him company, silent and cleaning himself in the corner. Herbert has come to understand why people enjoy pets so much. There’s something comforting and soothing about always having a friend. A quiet friend for the most part. A friend who loves you unconditionally. Herbert wishes people were the same on the latter. Especially Dan. 

Once he’s done, he picks up Rufus and holds him to his chest. His paws are balanced on Herbert’s hand, Rufus’ head resting on his shoulder. Herbert holds him gently with his other hand. He allows Rufus’ purring and shaky breathing to calm him, Herbert leaning his head against the fluffy form. 

He rocks slightly to the music, an unofficial dance with this domesticated animal. Rufus doesn’t seem to mind, letting out a content sigh. Herbert supposes this is what being a parent might be like, holding this cat against his chest and rocking it. He feels incredibly stupid, finding himself in a position he ridiculed other pet owners over. 

“Hey, Herbert-” Dan says, startling the scientist. “Oh, this is so sweet.”

Herbert looks up at him, startled. He wants to shout at Dan, interrupting his peace. Teasing him for the affection he’s showing a dumb animal. Or, maybe he wants to shout at Dan for dating anyone but him. It could be all three. 

“Oh shut up,” Herbert snaps, putting Rufus gently on the floor. The cat nearly looks disappointed. Herbert feels bad. 

“No, really, it’s sweet!” Dan steps towards him, smiling at Herbert and grabbing his arms. “The ever so cold Herbert West dancing with a cat!”

Herbert busies himself with the table, rubbing at nothing to come off as cleaning. “Don’t you have company upstairs?”

Dan shakes his head. “Nah, they went home.” Dan inspects Herbert’s face, seeing that the days avoiding sleep have made him look almost as dead as Rufus. “You should really sleep. Do it for me, would you?”

Herbert _almost_ blushes at Dan’s request. “Okay.”

He follows Dan upstairs without a fight. It makes him feel _too_ vulnerable. Imagine being so in love with a person you would do anything they asked? It’s weak. Herbert West is embarrassingly smitten. It’s revolting. 

  
  


“Hey, have you seen Rufus?” Dan asks Herbert, walking into Herbert’s room. He wanted to protest, but the door was open. 

“Yes,” Herbert replies weakly. 

Dan takes in the sight before him. Herbert is trapped to his bed, Rufus sleeping soundly on his chest. Herbert looks frustrated. His open book is resting beside him, no longer being read due to the cat’s sleeping position. 

“ _This-_ ,” Dan starts, laughing slightly, “-is adorable.”

Herbert tries to make up some excuse, but it only comes off as rambling. Dan doesn’t seem to notice, kneeling at the side of Herbert’s bed. He places a careful hand on Rufus, the sleeping animal kneading Herbert’s chest in response. Herbert grimaces at the sharp pain of claws. Dan merely chuckles. 

Herbert doesn’t know exactly what happened afterwards. All he remembers is Dan kissing him. Nothing like the kisses Herbert’s sure he shares with his female friends, but it’s a kiss on the lips. It’s sweet, even loving. 

“I’m not sure what’s cuter. Our not exactly dead, but dead cat sleeping on you, the person he hated so much, or is it your lack of resistance to his affection? You really do adore him, don’t you?”

Herbert doesn’t know what makes him say, “I don’t just adore only him, Dan.”

But he can’t bring himself to complain. Dan kisses his cheek. The pressure was enough to inform Herbert that in reality, Dan wanted to climb on top of him and absolutely ravish him, but he couldn’t due to the cat. Herbert almost, _almost,_ throws the cat off of him. 

They talk about it later over dinner. Herbert doesn’t like it, the conversation about feelings, but he does it for Dan. Besides, it comes up with a rather enjoyable solution. Herbert ends up moving into Dan’s room, as a romantic partner. He never expected to be spooned to feel so nice. Or, the pressure of a body against him. Rufus finds Herbert later that night, jumping onto the bed and resting at the men’s entangled feet. Herbert closes his eyes, raising his arm to lay it over Dan’s draped arm. He guesses he could get used to this, having a family. 

**Author's Note:**

> Can you guys tell that I'm a cat lover?


End file.
